X.

Many a cliff he climbed over; Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contrayeȝ straunge, Fer floten fro his frendeȝ fremedly he rydeȝ; many a ford and stream he crossed, and everywhere he found a foe. At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wyȝe passed, 716 He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were, & þat so foule & so felle, þat feȝt hym by-hode; It were too tedious to tell the tenth part of his adventures So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fyndeȝ, Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole. with serpents, wolves, and wild men; 720 Sumwhyle wyth wormeȝ he werreȝ, & with wolues als, Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarreȝ, with bulls, bears, and boars. Boþe wyth bulleȝ & bereȝ, & boreȝ oþer-quyle, & etayneȝ, þat hym a-nelede, of þe heȝe felle; Had he not been both brave and good, doubtless he had been dead. 724 Nade he ben duȝty & dryȝe, & dryȝtyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded, & dreped ful ofte. The sharp winter was far worse than any war that ever troubled him. For werre wrathed hym not so much, þat wynter was wors, When þe colde cler water fro þe cloudeȝ schadden, 728 & fres er hit falle myȝt to þe fale erþe; Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes, Mo nyȝteȝ þen in-noghe in naked rokkeȝ, Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renneȝ, 732 & henged heȝe ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles. Thus in peril he travels till Christmas-eve. Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde, Bi contray caryeȝ þis knyȝt, tyl kryst-masse euen, al one; 736 Þe knyȝt wel þat tyde, To the Virgin Mary he prays to guide him to some abode. To Mary made his mone. Þat ho hym red to ryde, [Fol. 101.] & wysse hym to sum wone.